I like receiving and giving gifts. More than being on the receiving end, there is a special joy in the act of giving. Once I have selected and wrapped the gift, my anticipation for the moment of giving only grows. Some individuals prefer methodically unwrapping their presents, taking their time to savour the experience, while others eagerly tear away the wrapping paper to discover what is inside the wrapping. Personally, I am drawn to those who swiftly discard the paper, eager to unveil the surprise as soon as possible. Witnessing the person’s expression as the gift is finally revealed. That is the joy of giving for me. Experiencing their joy and delight is the most exciting feeling for me. Furthermore, when I see the gift being used and appreciated, it fills me with a sense of happiness and contentment.
On the contrary, if I present a gift to someone, and they show no excitement upon receiving it, and once they have removed the wrapping and show no joy with the gift, it me feel unhappy. Additionally, when they never utilize the gift and completely disregard it, it evokes a sense of sadness within me.
Imagine being presented with the opportunity to own your dream supercar, perhaps it's a Ferrari boasting top-notch features and free maintenance, with a lifetime supply of fuel. Now, consider the wisdom behind hanging the keys to this expensive vehicle on a stylish key rack, all the while constantly talking about the marvel of possessing such a magnificent car, yet never actually driving it.
2 Peter 1:1-4 1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle (a special messenger) of Jesus Christ, to those who have received (obtained an equal privilege of) like precious faith with ourselves in and through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 May grace (God’s favour) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3 For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue). 4 By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature. (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)
We have received precious faith, grace, and peace multiplied and God’s divine power has given us all things needed for life and godliness. His precious and exceeding great promises; that through these we may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Ephesians 3:16-19 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Salvation for many Christians is only about “When I die, I go to heaven” Yes, “If I believe in Jesus, I will not perish but have everlasting life” That is the end of the road for many, once saved there is security in the future. As vital as eternal security is for many and yes believing in Jesus dying for me is important. It is only the starting point in understanding the gospel. The good news is so much more.
The believer is justified before God by faith in Christ—made just as though we have never sinned is vital. However, when it comes to a believer, justification by faith is not the end of all we believe.
Imagine when a young child spends hours playing in the mud, becoming utterly dirty. Once you bathe the child, they experience a newfound sense of cleanliness. They feel so fresh and pure that they simply want to sit by the bathtub and relish in their cleanliness. However, you have prepared clean clothes for the child as you are planning to visit friends. There is a profound significance to this situation that goes beyond the act of bathing itself.
We must correct our misguided understanding with the truth. Justification by faith is not the only step in our salvation experience. This is but the ‘Born Again Moment’ A brand new life in Christ has begun. There is now a wealth of life in God that becomes part of our life in Christ. Clothing yourself fully in God and experiencing His fullness
It is not just sitting on your blessed assurance of being a Christian living on old revelation waiting for death or Christ’s return to enjoy salvation to its full.
The Old Testament is a shadow of the reality revealed in the New Testament.
Moses a type of Jesus Christ, Moses delivered the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage The Lord told Moses, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians. . .. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:1-12).
Moses delivered the people of Israel from slavery and bondage in Egypt with blood on the doorposts. The angel of death passed over them.
Jesus by shedding His blood on the cross has delivered us from being slaves of sin and the bondage of death.
Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Joshua became the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. Both the name Jesus and Joshua mean Savior. Joshua was a saviour to the people as they advanced to conquer and take their promised land. Joshua was a faithful servant to Moses. Joshua led the people through the Jordan River. The Jordan River symbolized death. Death was rolled up all the way to Adam.
Joshua 3:16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:12-14 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people [no one being able to stop it or escape its power], because they all sinned. 13 Sin was [committed] in the world before the Law [was given], but sin is not charged [against anyone] when there is no law [against it]. 14 Yet death ruled [over mankind] from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who had not sinned as Adam did. Adam is a type of Him (Christ) who was to come [but in reverse—Adam brought destruction; Christ brought salvation].
The river Jordan is symbolic of death. Through the blood of Jesus, He Justified and made us righteous so that we can enter into the promised land. By believing we now enter into the promised land. Into the Kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 10 For I do not want you to be unaware, believers, that our fathers were all under the cloud [in which God’s presence went before them] and they all passed [miraculously and safely] through the [Red] Sea; 2 And all [of them] were baptized into Moses [into his safekeeping as their leader] in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all [of them] ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all [of them] drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not well-pleased with most of them, for they were scattered along the ground in the wilderness [because their lack of self-control led to disobedience which led to death].
Although the children of God experienced salvation from Egypt and the deliverance at the Red Sea, when the time came to enter the promised land, they were afraid of the giants. Because of their unbelief, they then could not take possession of their land and that generation died in the wilderness. I call it the wilderness of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:15-19 while it is said:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
God’s rest is our promised land in Him. Many do not live in victory but live in anxiety and fear. They lack spiritually, mentally, and physically and then even die of sickness and disease because of unbelief.
Matthew 1:21 She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus [the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior], for He will save His people from their sins [that is, prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God]. (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)
Jesus not only saved us to forgive us of sin, and remove our sins but also to bring us into the Father’s presence.
John 14:1-2 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; if it were not so, would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
When Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions” Mansions in The Greek word used does not mean a building or brick house but a resting place. The expression is translated in the margin of the American Standard Version as “abiding places.”
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
2 Corinthians 6:14-16 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God,
And they shall be My people”.
Our home is in Christ and The Holy Spirits’ home is inside of us.
Colossians 2:9-10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Ephesians 3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
To live in Christ and for Christ to live in us fully is our promised land not in the distant future, not when we physically die but while we are alive on earth. To be complete in Christ. The total fullness of God.
The fullness of God refers to the totality of who God is. The absolute fullness of God is still to be seen in His sons. God chooses to communicate with His sons, offering them new life in Christ, indwelling them by the Holy Spirit, and ultimately filling them with His fullness. That is our purpose in this life.
Hebrews 4:6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter His rest, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:
“Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.
2 Corinthians 6:2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Today pray and receive the promise of life, do not let the keys hang on the rack. Father let your Spirit change us from earthbound worms into that glorious body, bearing the image and likeness of Christ. Full of God. God is waiting in anticipation for you to receive all has prepared for you.
Faith pleases God.
You are loved you are worthy
